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Reminiscences: Henry A. London, 53rd North Carolina Infantry, Company C, including excerpt written by John P. Leach

Littleton, N. C. June 2nd, 04,
Maj. Henry A. London,
Pittsboro, N. C. Dear Major London;-
I regard it fortunate for the state and the credit of her soldiers, who by common consent and all truthful history, were first at Bethel, that you have been assigned the task of proving that they were also the last or among those that were the last soldiers of Lee's army to fight in organized form of battle at Appomattox.
The younger soldiers of the army were more advertent to passing events, and I have observed that they have carried to this day a more correct remembrance of the minutest occurrences than the older men, and as you and I were then boys under 20 years old, I have no doubt you will give an account of the N. C. troops at Appomattox, both accurate and creditable to yourself and those engaged, and you are especially fitted to perform this honorable duty, as you had the advantage of youth, and as a courier under Gen. Bryan Grimes, excellent opportunities for observation and the knowledge of passing events, which I have no doubt have been correctly treasured in memory, and will be truthfully told in the history which you are assigned to furnish the N. C Historical and Literary Society.
I am quite sure that I can state with accuracy the part taken by the officers and soldiers of my immediate command, in that sad and final endings of our military struggle for Southern rights under Lee, Gordon and Grimes on the morning of April the 9th, 1865 near Appomattox, C. H. ,Va.
The organization of the army had been much broken by battle, frequent skirmishes, the physical exhaustion of those who bore arms and the desertion of some who fell as stragglers by the wayside.
I was a private in Co. "C" 53rd, N. C. Troops, Grimes Brigade, ( Col. Cowal commanding ) , Gen. Jno. B. Gordon, Corps Commander, while Gen. Bryan Grimes commanded the division.
My company left Petersburg with Lieutenant, Geo. T. Leach in command, Sargent Ashley Horn, one or two corporals and twenty two men,

Littleton, N. C. June 2nd, 04,
Maj. Henry A. London,
Pittsboro, N. C. Dear Major London;-
I regard it fortunate for the state and the credit of her soldiers, who by common consent and all truthful history, were first at Bethel, that you have been assigned the task of proving that they were also the last or among those that were the last soldiers of Lee's army to fight in organized form of battle at Appomattox.
The younger soldiers of the army were more advertent to passing events, and I have observed that they have carried to this day a more correct remembrance of the minutest occurrences than the older men, and as you and I were then boys under 20 years old, I have no doubt you will give an account of the N. C. troops at Appomattox, both accurate and creditable to yourself and those engaged, and you are especially fitted to perform this honorable duty, as you had the advantage of youth, and as a courier under Gen. Bryan Grimes, excellent opportunities for observation and the knowledge of passing events, which I have no doubt have been correctly treasured in memory, and will be truthfully told in the history which you are assigned to furnish the N. C Historical and Literary Society.
I am quite sure that I can state with accuracy the part taken by the officers and soldiers of my immediate command, in that sad and final endings of our military struggle for Southern rights under Lee, Gordon and Grimes on the morning of April the 9th, 1865 near Appomattox, C. H. ,Va.
The organization of the army had been much broken by battle, frequent skirmishes, the physical exhaustion of those who bore arms and the desertion of some who fell as stragglers by the wayside.
I was a private in Co. "C" 53rd, N. C. Troops, Grimes Brigade, ( Col. Cowal commanding ) , Gen. Jno. B. Gordon, Corps Commander, while Gen. Bryan Grimes commanded the division.
My company left Petersburg with Lieutenant, Geo. T. Leach in command, Sargent Ashley Horn, one or two corporals and twenty two men,